A Message from Mark McKee

11/8/2018

Dear Viewpoint Families,

We all woke this morning to news of a mass shooting incident at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks. A 28-year-old gunman killed 12, including a Ventura County sheriff sergeant, before he was killed.

This news, which is always heartbreaking, is too close to home. We do not yet know of any victims with direct connections to Viewpoint, but we know that a tragic incident in a close-knit community means that members of our community are affected, directly or indirectly. The site is the location of one of our bus stops, which has been relocated. Moreover, we know that in the immortal words of English poet John Donne, “No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” Students, educators and families are members and leaders in intersecting communities—school, community, and our world—and we are all touched by these events. We will be looking for ways we can play a positive and healing role, and we welcome your suggestions, from giving blood to being there for one another in days to come.

Our counselors, division administrators, and safety team work together to provide a safe and healthy learning environment. We met this morning before school and all are available to our students. Please reach out to us if your family needs support. The safety of our students—both physically and emotionally—is our highest priority. Resources for talking with your children can be found on myViewpoint.